The Ministry of Labor has set a 1,000 kyat increase as a subsidy for workers who receive a daily wage of 4,800 kyats, but since it is not enough, the workers are demanding a minimum wage of 8,000 kyats for 8 working hours a day.
"We want 8,000 kyats for working 8 hours a day. It was announced on October 5 that 1,000 kyats will be added to the daily wage of 4,800 kyats as a subsidy. But the overtime fee is calculated on the basis of the basic wage of 4800 kyats, so the overtime fee will not increase at all. As for the workers, these 1,000 kyats is not even enough for a day. Even if the overtime fee is calculated on 5800 kyats, it is still not a sufficient amount for the livelihood. This increased rate is not enough with the current goods prices," the workers said.
As Dormitories rents, cost of electricity and the commodity prices are rising, the factory workers are demanding an increase in the daily wage to 8,000 kyats because the minimum wage is not comfortable for them.
The industrial zone workers said that the subsidy increase of 1,000 Kyats last October 5 was the first increase after five years, and the amount is different from the rate expected by the workers under the current commodity price.
The last minimum wage was increased by 4,800 kyats was in 2018, and the law stipulates that it must be revised every two years to make it appropriate for the times.
"What has been announced now is that the overtime pay is calculated based on the basic salary of 4,800 kyats. The overtime wage will be increased only if the daily wage is raised. Now it is complicated. Actually, I would like to say that the minimum wage should be 10,000 kyats per day according to the prices of the time," said a worker who assists with labor affairs.
After the military coup d'état in February 2021, commodity prices have risen and the people are suffering from low wages and job shortages, and low-income families are also struggling with insufficient food, according to the analysis.
In the past few days, the government of Myanmar’s neighboring Bangladesh has increased the minimum wage for garment workers in by more than 50 percent, bringing their wages up to $114, according to Reuters. In addition, the government has also guaranteed a 5 percent increase in wages every year.
